What does John Dean consider to be fascism?

[Postman]

He told Keith Olbermann the other night that "we're not on a fascist road yet, but we are so very close to it, that's why I wrote this book"

...well how about this story, is this fascism?..


U.S. block entry at border via 'ideological exclusion' policy
http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/ACLU_U.S._block_block_entry_at_0712.html

and we're hated because of our freedom?

[sandnsea]

1. When they outlaw the ACLU, it's fascism

Distinct but important difference which is why we aren't there, but close to it. That Raw Story article is appalling, but watch the idiots line up and oppose our right to hear differing points of view. I'm reminded of the Russians who thought newspaper censorship was good because citizens don't need to hear harmful things. I can almost write the script when the right gets a hold of this law suit. Too bad we can't get the video from the Donahue show where the Russians were supporting censorship. Maybe that would wake some people up.

[Scribe]

2. An earlier post here pointed to 14 characteristics of Fascism

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1618312

[TwentyFive]

3. I'd say 30% of US citizens want fascism - and another ??% don't care.

IMO, we are headed toward either fascism or destruction. When BushCo says or does something only a fascist could love....30% of the people cheers them on.

But what is truly scary?

Another large minority of Americans are either clueless or just don't care. Perhaps they are dumb. Perhaps they are working too hard to notice. Either way, this ??% number grows every year...and that is leading us toward a fascist state.

[rwenos]

4. RW Taste for Fascism

I'd say the figure of 30% is just about correct.

I often recall "Seven Days in May," a brilliant paranoid movie made in the early 1960s, in which Burt Lancaster plays Gen. James Matoon Scott (a thinly-veiled Douglas MacArthur character), Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who masterminds an effort to kidnap a (liberal) President, played by Fredric March.

When a loyal Marine colonel, "Jiggs" (played by Kirk Douglas) blows the whistle on Gen. Scott, and the "jig" is up, literally, Gen. Scott turns and says to Jiggs, "Colonel, do you know the story of Judas?"

Ewwwwwwwww!

[Gabi Hayes]

5. dig this. ties Smedley Butler, 7 Days in May, Marine training, E-voting!

http://realhistoryarchives.blogspot.com/2005/02/war-is-racket-for-rich.html

I'd read about the Butler/7 Days connection in Jules Archer's book on Butler, but the stuff about the Marine officers STILL reading his book as part of their training (up til the first gulf war anyway), was interesting, to say the least.

and the stuff about electronic voting machines....

whoaaa

[rwenos]

7. Secretary for General Welfare

Thanks! Great link! That's one story from the 1930's I never heard before.

It's so easy to see how this whole thing could spin out of control SOOOO fast.

We'd never know what hit us.

"Secretary for General Welfare" -- Gawd! Sounds too much like "General Secretary" to me!

Thanks again, 'mon.

[Gabi Hayes]

8. any time...did you check his home page?

interesting stuff on voting, after equally interesting movie review+introspection about our country drinking the kool aid of fascism....

http://realhistoryarchives.blogspot.com/

[rwenos]

9. Have Marked It

will read it in detail later tonight.

You've eddikated me, thanks so much!

[INdemo]

10. Wow this is really good reading and

the absolute truth..How can any right wing idiot dispute this....

[flordehinojos]

6. i heard that too, and when john stewart said something like, "we are not

there yet, call me when we are", dean said, "i am hoping we are not there yet, that is why i call it protofascism".

i think he knows we are there. he is just having a hard time accepting it/

like someone being told they have cancer--bad news is never easy to accept.
bush is bad news. dean knows it, he might just be trying to sweeten the news a bit so people won't go reacting against what he has to say. but yeah, i wondered the same thing when i heard him say we are not there yet.